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Microlesson · 5-min read

AS 12 — Monetary Grants for Non-Depreciable Fixed Assets

## Monetary Grants Relating to Non-Depreciable Fixed Assets

Non-depreciable assets — primarily freehold land — are not amortised. The grant benefit cannot be spread through reduced depreciation. Special rules apply.

---

### Option 1: Reduce Grant from Cost of Asset

Deduct the grant directly from the asset's cost.

Journal Entries:

```

Purchase:

Land A/c Dr [full cost]

To Bank [full cost]

Grant:

Bank A/c Dr [grant]

To Land A/c [grant]

```

Net value of Land = Cost − Grant

No depreciation is charged (land is non-depreciable).

---

### Option 2: Do NOT Reduce Grant from Cost

If the company prefers not to reduce the grant from asset cost, the treatment depends on whether the grant is conditional.

#### Sub-case A: Grant is Unconditional

No conditions need to be fulfilled (or all conditions already satisfied).

Treatment: Treat as a Promoter's Contribution → Credit to Capital Reserve

```

Bank/CIB A/c Dr [grant]

To Capital Reserve [grant]

```

#### Sub-case B: Grant is Conditional

Conditions remain outstanding (e.g., "cannot sell the land for 5 years").

Treatment: Credit to Deferred Government Grant (DGG)

```

Bank/CIB A/c Dr [grant]

To DGG A/c [grant]

```

Transfer from DGG to Capital Reserve once conditions are fully met.

---

### Decision Tree

```

Grant for Non-Depreciable Asset

Reduce from cost?

YES → Deduct from Land A/c

NO → Unconditional?

YES → Capital Reserve

NO → DGG (transfer to Cap Reserve when conditions met)

```

Worked example

### Example 1

Option 1 example: Land purchased for ₹10 crore. Government grant received ₹6 crore. Company reduces grant from cost.

```

Land A/c Dr 10 cr

To Bank 10 cr

Bank A/c Dr 6 cr

To Land A/c 6 cr

```

Net book value of Land = ₹4 crore. No depreciation charged.

### Example 2

Option 2A — Unconditional example: Land purchased for ₹10 crore. Grant ₹6 crore received with no conditions attached. Company does not want to reduce from cost.

```

Land A/c Dr 10 cr

To Bank 10 cr

Bank A/c Dr 6 cr

To Capital Reserve 6 cr

```

Land remains in books at ₹10 crore. Capital Reserve increases by ₹6 crore.

### Example 3

Option 2B — Conditional example: Land purchased ₹10 crore. Grant ₹6 crore received with condition: company cannot sell the land for 5 years.

```

Bank A/c Dr 6 cr

To DGG A/c 6 cr

```

After 5 years, when the condition is met:

```

DGG A/c Dr 6 cr

To Capital Reserve 6 cr

```

Land remains at ₹10 crore throughout. No depreciation at any stage.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Charging depreciation on non-depreciable assets — land is never depreciated, regardless of whether a grant is received
  • Treating a conditional grant for non-depreciable assets as unconditional and immediately crediting Capital Reserve — must park in DGG until conditions are fulfilled
  • Confusing Option 1 (reduces asset cost) with Option 2 (leaves asset at full cost) — the question will usually specify which to use
  • Under Option 2B, transferring DGG to P&L (income) instead of Capital Reserve — for non-depreciable asset grants, the transfer upon fulfilling conditions goes to Capital Reserve, not P&L
Reference: Paragraphs 13–17 (Grants Related to Specific Fixed Assets) — AS 12 — Accounting for Government Grants, ICAI
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